Chinese Soy-Vinegar Sauce
This is a simple Chinese soy-vinegar sauce that makes cucumber, tomatoes or bean sprouts instantly fancy.
The sauces chapter in Beb Vuyk’s book is a mecca for BBQ fans. There are tremendously easy sauces that have, despite their simple ingredients, complex flavors.
According to Beb this sauce is of Chinese origin. That is probably true because Chinese food often revolves around ‘the sauce’.
I’ve made a video about my 4 favorite Indonesian BBQ sauces. Check it out here or read along for the soy-vinegar sauce in text and pictures.
This soy vinegar sauce is ready in 3 minutes and is enough for 4 – 5 people.
Soy-Vinegar sauce (Chinese) # 480 translated from Beb Vuyk’s Groot Indonesisch Kookboek, page 385.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of vinegar
- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Boil the vinegar with the sugar and then add the soy and the oil.
To be used over sliced tomato, cucumber or bean sprouts that are poured over with boiling water.
When Beb Vuyk talks about soy, she means salty soy sauce (kecap asin).
Vinegar
In a pan I melt the sugar in the vinegar by heating up the mix slowly in the pan. The sugar melts very quickly.
I use apple cider vinegar. I think that especially in sauces it is important to choose a vinegar that is very tasty; it determines a large part of the flavor.
A little more sugar
I add 3 teaspoons of sugar. Beb uses 2 teaspoons. Every sugar is different. I think the sauce needs to be slightly sweeter. The salty soy sauce is predominant and with some sweetness, the overall flavor becomes more balanced. So always taste. I taste before adding the oil.
I pour this Chinese soy-vinegar sauce onto slices of cucumber. I’m still going to test it with tomato and bean sprouts. If you sprinkle bean sprouts with boiling hot water in a colander, they become a bit tender and will perfectly incorporate this savory sauce, I presume. Delicious! Selamat makan!
